56 



M^ 



100 YEARS EXPLORING LIFE, 1888-1988 



Jacques Loeb with his family at their 

 home in Woods Hole. Conklin 

 Collection, MBL Archives. 



department at the MBL — Loeb had the opportunity to introduce students to 

 new and exciting research not normally part of zoological or natural history 

 programs. One Woods Hole native recalled the times that Loeb impressed 

 the youngsters by heating glass over a bunsen burner and then bending it. 



By the mid-1890s, Loeb's study of the effects of altered seawater salt 

 concentrations and of artificial parthenogenesis attracted wide attention; by 

 1900, even receiving consideration in the popular press as well as profes- 

 sional journals. Students wanted to learn how to "control life" as Loeb had 

 done by artificially stimulating the beginning of the fertilization process with 

 chemical manipulations. One enthusiastic beginning student went to Loeb 

 "with more zeal than knowledge" and reported that in the sea urchin 

 Arbacia he had discovered that the eggs had an interesting ability to repel 

 other organisms. Loeb explained to him that the eggs have a layer of nearly 

 invisible jelly around them. He suggested that the young man apply india ink 

 to dye the jelly and make it visible. The next day, the enthusiast returned with 

 a marvelous discoveiy: india ink produces artificial parthenogenesis (or 

 makes the egg act as if it had been fertiliz;ed by sperm when it had not). Loeb 

 patiently pointed out that the fellow must have diluted the powdery ink in 

 tap water— which does produce parthenogenesis because it changes the 

 salt concentration of the water to an abnormal level. To Loeb india ink had 

 meant the powder; to the student, the liquid. That young man reportedly 

 learned to reflect more deeply about the hidden factors that might not seem 

 important but might turn out to be the keys to a major discovery. Loeb 

 helped to turn many eager students into scientists. 



As his student (later University of California professor) W. J. V. Ostcr- 

 hout recalled, many students shied away from the sharp criticisms Loeb 



